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So you stayed silent and straight faced, albeit tight lipped, as Yuliana left you. Whether it was on your meal or your person, her opinion didn’t matter…
“Anya,” Magnus had come over, and you felt your shoulders lose their slack. “You’re finished?”
“Mm!” You nodded, hurriedly lifting the plate you prepared. “Better be hungry ‘cause we’re ready to get eaten.”
“We?” Magnus let that hang, “Never mind.” Shoot. You’d hoped that one would hit him lower. He walked over to where you had the eggy toast and rabbit, and looked it over with a grimace. “That is…what is that?”
“Pofesen. Rabbit.” You shrugged, “What else <span class="mu-i">could</span> it be?” You proffered the plate. “C’mon.”
“Alright,” Magnus said as he swallowed and picked it up.
“Y’know,” you tried again to tease with a smirk, “You won’t have room for the other bitch after that, for sure.”
His eyes flicked to you, then back down to the pile in his hands.
“It’s gonna get cold,” you warned. Hurry up and eat it. You knew it wasn’t great, but…
Magnus gave it a testing poke, then pinched a medallion of rabbit between his fingers and lifted it to his mouth. You searched his expression hopefully as he ate it whole and chewed thoughtfully, for a bit longer than you thought he’d need to, a raised eyebrow being his only reaction.
Then he went for one of the pofesen pieces- and grimaced when it seemed to sag under its own weight, dripping. Yet he still bit into it. The corners of Magnus’s mouth tightened, and his brow furrowed- a muffled cough into his sleeve was followed by quiet, then a pained closing of his eyes, a pant for breath.
It was plenty said without needing to speak. “What d’ya think, then.” You said flatly, not really wanting to hear it now even if part of you was hopeful.
“It…” Magnus hesitated, “Isn’t what I expected.”
You blinked and stared. “You gonna have more of it than a pinch? I ain’t never seen you have a small appetite.”
“I’ve had enough to judge.” Magnus gave you an uncertain look, then got close and put a light hand on your shoulder. Skin against skin. Your breath halted. “Lady Nowicki,” he said with a strained voice, “It’s alright. Sversk the Conqueror couldn’t seat the throne of his father, yet he bested the Maelstrom. You don’t have to be good at everything.”
>…If he didn’t want to eat it, you wouldn’t make him. Even if it did make you…upset. Unhappy. You didn’t have to be the best, but you did want anybody who’d be beside you to be happy for it…
>You didn’t want any pity. You’d done this to try and please him, not because you wanted to screw up cooking. He ought to be a bit more appreciative.
>Fine, then. Blow it all off and pretend this didn’t make you angry. Hold it in and keep a stony face about it- even if you’ll have to blow it off pretty soon…
>Other?
